Whispering Smith Column published in the Littlehampton Gazette on July 17th. 2014

IT WOULD seem that the decision re Stormin’ Norman, one of the allotment cockerels is out of the hands of the town council as the complainant has asked Arun District Council to serve some sort of noise control order and I doubt that they will defend the right of a cockerel to crow. Reminds me of the incomers who complained about the halyards snapping against the aluminium masts along the river or the folk who complained about the engines of fishing boats going out on the early morning tide, or the screeching of the river gulls. Further inland someone complained about the village church bells ringing on a Sunday morning and the list goes on. I would give these miseries short shrift and tell them to move and leave our birds alone but then I am not a politician. Perhaps a council compromise would be to say no more cockerels when these are dead and gone but until then, leave them be.

QUIETLY jubilant when I saw that the pavement on the east side of Pier Road was being widened. Ah, I thought, at last, no more stepping out onto the busy road in order to pass the summer queues regularly formed outside of the busy restaurants, about time too. Maybe even a few tables and chairs, the Riviera of the South coast. However my jubilation was short lived as one of the workmen told me it was only temporary and the council wanted it put back to normal when the flood works were completed and the work on restoring the road had begun. A missed opportunity perhaps?

CONGRATULATIONS to the town council for the shortlisting of an architectural award for the design of the new bandstand, I believe it to be a worthy contender. I now understand that there are at least a dozen bookings for its use as something other than a shelter from the westerly winds during the summer months. Various groups offering a variety of music are on their way and this could be the start of something big so, let us wait and see.

DOG WARDENS at last, I hope we can get a breakdown at the end of the summer as to how many and for how much miscreants were served the eighty quid on the spot fines.